SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
APRIL 22/23, 2017
The Boston Marathon was run this past week amid much fanfare. Some 30 thousand plus people ran the race in various times. One of the prevailing images of the race are the crowds and crowds of people who line the route of the race. And they wait for the runners to appear. When the lead runner or runners do emerge over the horizon, you can hear thunderous cheers and applause. Although expected there is still an element of surprise and obvious excitement at the appearance. Their waiting has been rewarded.
And in a sense that’s really what is happening with the apostles in today’s gospel reading. They have been huddled in that upper room all week, waiting. Not sure what they were waiting for but they were anticipating what comes next after Jesus death and word of the resurrection that came their way. Where to go now? What to do? If Jesus had been with them He would have given them some direction.
And then out of the blue Jesus walks into their midst through the locked doors. I am sure they were both astonished and excited at His appearance. He offers them what they need the most: Peace be with you He says, and goes on to gift them with the Holy Spirit. He even returns a second time to convince Thomas that He truly is alive. Then He sends them forth to proclaim the good news that He is alive and is risen from the dead.
As we listen to these scriptures recounting the ways that Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection, we may think that those appearances were limited to that time and place. But one of the truths of the Resurrection is that Jesus rose from the dead in order to make His appearance in our lives today. Jesus doesn’t physically walk through our locked doors and greet us with a handshake. But symbolically He can penetrate even the hardest of heart and can touch us with the warmth and the renewal of His resurrection.
Today, may we open our hands and hearts and welcome Him when we get a glimpse of Him appearing over the horizon of our daily lives.